Charles University in Prague, First Faculty of Medicine: Academic Research is all about to change

First Faculty of Medicine with almost 1 200 staff members and 3 400 students represents the largest medical faculty in the Czech Republic. It is an integral part of Charles University in Prague from its foundation by the King of Bohemia and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Charles the Fourth in 1348. As such, it is also the oldest medical faculty in Central Europe.

However, it is not just the majestic history and impressive quantitative measures that would be enough to make the institution successful and competitive. It must be ideas, people, capacities and management, which finally will be responsible for the future, profit and serviceability of any institution. To accomplish our mission, and to reflect not only the strength and vitality of the Faculty's research programmes, but also our national position and international aspirations, we affirm the following objectives:

• To be a dynamic component of the European medical educational system
• To run the leading-edge biomedical research within the broader frame of the European Research Area
• To be recognized as a valuable member of the local community.

In this context:

We are here to teach medical professionals of the future: We provide undergraduate, graduate and professional programmes of the highest academic quality, taught either in Czech or English languages, pursuing internationally significant scholarship. Academic excellence, stimulation of creativity and intellectual curiosity are the highly ranking values in periodic internal evaluation of our teaching staff. The Faculty encourages and supports outstanding research trainees and research training programmes.

We seek for talents: Our students are recruited from across Europe , America, Asia and Africa and our study programmes are regularly accredited in Europe and USA.

Science is future of all of us: Faculty is heavily investing in research infrastructure. Our laboratories take advantage of virtually all state-of-the-art technologies that are in hands of enthusiastic staff with an international experience and reputation. Funding generated by scientific activities recently represents the majority of the Faculty budget.

Changing picture of our common Europe: The Faculty itself benefits from “on-the-spot” dialogue of researchers and doctors. Our research teams are involved in multiple national research projects emphasizing collaboration between basic and clinical sciences, together with researchers in other disciplines from extramural institutions. Importantly, our engagement in international teams and EU projects sharply increases.

Turning scientists into entrepreneurs: Our results demonstrate outstanding commitment to basic, clinical and applied research. The Faculty leadership together with the University management builds standard procedures of the technology transfer and win-win academia-industry liaison in compliance with the existing European rules.

Beyond the R&D community borders: Faculty experts are regularly involved in popularization of science among the community and from their side they promote public health awareness. In collaboration with journalists and media, our doctors and researchers focus on the major public medicine problems, but also help to spread fundamental scientific facts, explain how science works and develops. Our vision is to help building the knowledge based society in broader terms.

The Faculty

The First Faculty of Medicine is one of the founding four faculties of the Charles University in Prague. The First Faculty of Medicine founded in 1348 ranks among the fifteen oldest medical schools in the world.

Teaching and research at our faculty cover almost the entire spectrum of medicine and health professions from the full range of basic sciences through clinical specialties. Some disciplines are unique to our school at the national level. We prepare future medical doctors, scientists and health professionals in a modern and friendly fashion. Since we are not only a teaching, but also a research institution, we bring to education the most modern findings and technology.

University education at the First Faculty of Medicine provides several different degree programs. The greatest number of students pursues a six-year programme of General Medicine (leading to a MD degree), or a five-year programme of Dental Medicine (leading to DMD degree).

These two clinical programmes are offered both in English and Czech languages. There are other three to four year Bachelor's programmes in health professions (e.g. nursing and other specialties), some with a Master's option, offered to date only in the Czech language. There is also a vibrant PhD programme with most specialties offered in English. We also prepare doctors for their board exams. It is also important to note that there are various fee-based programmes for post-graduate students. Our teaching facilities are modern and comfortable, from auditoriums and seminar rooms through laboratories, study rooms and computer rooms. Most teaching facilities are located in historical buildings in the center of Prague, near Karlovo náměstí, I. P. Pavlova and Albertov. Clinical (practical) teaching occurs mostly in the General University Hospital, with some clinical rotations in the Motol Hospital, Thomayer Hospital, Hospital Na Bulovce, and General Military Hospital.

Our graduates readily find employment in the Czech Republic and the rest of the world. 99,7 % of the 640 graduates (between 1997 and 2015) found placement within 6 months of graduation.